Guides to Hexham
In-depth guides to the best places to eat, drink, explore, and enjoy in Hexham. Written by locals, backed by research.
Food & Drink
Beer Festivals Near Hexham
The Tynedale Beer Festival in Corbridge and Battlesteads in Wark — beer festivals near Hexham.
Best Italian Restaurants in Hexham
Vercelli's modern Italian dining, cocktail bar, and bottomless lunch.
Best Butchers in Hexham
Q Guild butchery, traditional counter service, and a farm shop — butchers in Hexham.
Best Cocktail Bars in Hexham
Vercelli's cocktail bar with terrace and The Beaumont Hotel's refined bar.
Best Chinese & Thai Restaurants in Hexham
Golden Dragon, New Golden Rice, and The Thai House — Chinese and Thai food in Hexham.
Open Mic & Live Music Nights in Hexham
Bluegrass sessions, pub busker nights, Italian restaurant live music, and Queen's Hall concerts — where to find live music in Hexham.
Best Ice Cream in Hexham
A 22-flavour parlour by the Sele, a legendary farm ice cream near Stocksfield, and Italian gelato in Prudhoe.
Best Brunch in Hexham
Shakshuka, eggs benedict, all-day brunch menus, and a proper hotel breakfast — where to brunch in Hexham.
Best Indian Restaurants in Hexham
From Saathi's award-winning kitchen to Indus Valley and Acomb Tandoori — the best Indian food in Hexham.
Quiz Nights in Hexham
Wednesday pub quizzes, smartphone-based speed quizzing, and the Great Tyne Valley Pub Quiz — where to test your knowledge in Hexham.
Best Pizza in Hexham
From Vercelli's Italian dining to takeaway delivery — where to find the best pizza in Hexham.
Best Beer Gardens in Hexham
A garden beside a mill stream, terraced views over the Tyne Valley, and a walled garden with its own bar — the best beer gardens in Hexham.
Best Bakeries in Hexham
Artisan sourdough, legendary cardamom buns, and a farmers' market worth planning your Saturday around — the best bakeries in Hexham.
Best Sunday Lunch in Hexham
Top 50 gastropubs, community-owned village inns, and a country pub with its own brewery — where to find the best Sunday lunch near Hexham.
Best Takeaways in Hexham
Indian, Chinese, fish and chips, pizza, and kebabs — the best takeaways in Hexham for a Friday night in.
Best Fish and Chips in Hexham
From a Market Place chippy established in 1939 to a neighbourhood favourite on Priestpopple — where to find the best fish and chips in Hexham.
Best Breakfast in Hexham
Full English fry-ups, eggs benedict, shakshuka, and leisurely brunch — where to start your day in Hexham.
Best Pubs in Hexham
Top 50 gastropubs, a brewery tap in a wooded valley, real ale havens, and a Wetherspoon in an Art Deco cinema — the best pubs in Hexham.
Best Cafes in Hexham
Independent coffee shops, social enterprise kitchens, and a riverside brunch spot — where to find the best cafes in Hexham.
Best Restaurants in Hexham
French bistros, celebrated gastropubs, authentic Indian and Greek — where to eat in Hexham right now.
Family & Children
A Family Weekend in Hexham
Sele Park, the Abbey, Wentworth soft play, Allen Banks, and ice cream — a 48-hour family itinerary.
Best After-School Clubs in Hexham
Swimming lessons, football, scouts, martial arts, and more — a guide to after-school activities for children in Hexham.
Summer Holiday Activities in Hexham
Swimming, holiday clubs, Allen Banks, the Abbey, racecourse family days, and the library reading challenge — everything you need to fill six weeks of summer in Hexham.
Best Soft Play Centres Near Hexham
Jungle Jacks at Wentworth, Brocksbushes Play Barn, and Prudhoe Waterworld — the best soft play options within easy reach of Hexham.
Birthday Party Venues in Hexham
Soft play, bowling, pool parties, and hall hire — where to host a children's birthday party in Hexham.
Baby & Toddler Groups in Hexham
Drop-in play sessions, free church groups, Family Hub programmes, and baby swimming — where to find baby and toddler groups in Hexham.
Best Playgrounds in Hexham
A newly refurbished play park, a riverside playground with a zip wire, and a neighbourhood green space — the best playgrounds in Hexham.
Sports & Fitness
Hexham Racecourse: The Complete Guide
Racing since 1793, 800 feet above the Tyne Valley — history, fixtures, and tips for first-timers.
Skate Parks Near Hexham
A £150,000 community-built skatepark in the Sele and Prudhoe's Highfield Park.
Best Personal Trainers in Hexham
Gym-based coaching, mobile PTs, and health specialists — personal trainers in Hexham.
Meditation in Hexham
A Plum Village community group, Queen's Hall workshops, and retreat centres nearby.
Running & Cycling in Hexham
Tynedale Harriers, Tyne Green parkrun, Hadrian's Cycleway, and the steep climb to The Rat Inn.
Yoga in Hexham
Iyengar, Dru, Hatha, and children's yoga — a guide to yoga classes and teachers in Hexham.
Swimming in Hexham
A 25-metre pool, swimming lessons for all ages, aqua fitness, and open water options — your guide to swimming in Hexham.
Best Gyms in Hexham
Leisure centre pools, independent gyms, and personal training — where to get fit in Hexham.
Parks & Nature
Photography Spots in Hexham
From the Abbey at sunrise to Hadrian's Wall crags at golden hour — the best photography locations in and around Hexham.
Allen Banks & Staward Gorge: Walking Guide
Red squirrels, ancient woodland, a medieval pele tower, and four walking routes — a complete guide to Allen Banks near Hexham.
Best Walks from Hexham
Riverside trails, ancient woodland, Hadrian's Wall ridge walks, and a wild daffodil wood — the best walks from Hexham for every ability.
Health & Wellbeing
Best Counsellors & Therapists in Hexham
CBT, EMDR, psychotherapy, and integrative counselling — therapy in Hexham.
Best Physiotherapists in Hexham
Sports injury clinics, neurological rehabilitation, and home visits — physiotherapy in Hexham.
Best Opticians in Hexham
NHS eye tests at Specsavers and boutique frames at The Little Spectacle Shop.
Best Vets in Hexham
Three RCVS-regulated practices — Orchard House, Hadrian Vets, and Scott Mitchell.
Best Care Homes in Hexham
CQC ratings, costs, and what to expect — a guide to residential and nursing care homes in the Hexham area.
Best Dentists in Hexham
NHS and private dental practices in Hexham — from routine check-ups to cosmetic treatments and sedation dentistry.
Schools & Education
School Holidays: Northumberland Term Dates 2025-2027
Official Northumberland term dates for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, with INSET day guidance for Hexham schools.
Find a Tutor in Hexham
Music lessons, swimming coaching, tennis, martial arts, dance, art classes, and academic tutoring in Hexham.
Best Nurseries in Hexham
Ofsted ratings, age ranges, and what to expect — a guide to nurseries and pre-schools in Hexham.
Best Schools in Hexham
A complete guide to Hexham's three-tier school system — first schools, middle school, and Queen Elizabeth High School, with Ofsted ratings and key facts.
Shopping
Best Builders in Hexham
Extensions, renovations, Passivhaus specialists, and new builds in Hexham.
Best Accountants in Hexham
From sole traders to farming operations — the leading accountancy practices serving the Tyne Valley.
Best Estate Agents in Hexham
From high-street agents to premium country house specialists — a guide to buying, selling, and letting in Hexham.
Best Solicitors in Hexham
Conveyancing, family law, wills and probate, and agricultural law — a guide to the solicitors in Hexham.
Best Plumbers in Hexham
Gas Safe registered plumbers and heating engineers in Hexham — from boiler servicing to emergency repairs.
Best Electricians in Hexham
NICEIC-approved contractors covering everything from socket replacements to full rewires — the best electricians serving Hexham.
Heritage & History
Historic Trades and Crafts of Hexham
Leather tanning, the Hexham Tans glove trade, Fentimans botanical brewery, corn milling, and the railway.
The Oldest Pubs in Hexham
A 1300s mill site, a 1750s drovers' inn, an 1882 Victorian tap room, and a genuine coaching inn.
The Border Reivers and Hexham
Four centuries of raiding, feuding, and rough justice — how the Border Reivers shaped Hexham and the Tyne Valley.
Hexham's Market: 800 Years of Trade
A market charter from 1239, the Grade II* Shambles, and a twice-monthly farmers' market — the story of Hexham's 800-year trading tradition.
Famous People from Hexham
A haematology pioneer, a war poet, a TV star turned pop phenomenon, and a rock musician — the remarkable people born in this Northumberland market town.
Heritage Walking Trail: A Self-Guided Tour of Hexham
A 2-mile loop through 1,350 years of history — Hexham Abbey, the Market Place, Moot Hall, Old Gaol, and Sele Park in 90 minutes.
Hadrian's Wall from Hexham: A Visitor's Guide
Chesters, Vindolanda, Housesteads, and Corbridge — a practical guide to visiting Hadrian's Wall sites from Hexham.
Hexham Old Gaol: England's First Purpose-Built Prison
Built in 1333 from Roman stone, Hexham Old Gaol is the earliest recorded purpose-built prison in England — now an atmospheric museum.
History of Hexham
From St Wilfrid's Saxon abbey to the Border Reivers, the Battle of Hexham, and the arrival of the railway — 1,300 years of history.
Community
Council Services in Hexham
Bins, roads, planning, parks, allotments — which council handles what in Hexham.
Politics in Hexham: Who Represents You
Your MP, county councillors, and Hexham Town Council — a factual guide to representation.
Allotments and Community Gardens in Hexham
Council allotments, a garden-sharing scheme, and a community orchard — how to grow your own food in Hexham.
Local Museums and Archives Near Hexham
The Old Gaol, the Abbey's Big Story, Chesters Roman Fort, Vindolanda, and Corbridge — museums within easy reach of Hexham.
Volunteer Groups in Hexham
Team Hexham, the Community Centre, Hexham Abbey, the RSPCA, and Northumberland National Park — how to volunteer.
Charity Shops in Hexham
Oxfam, Cancer Research UK, RSPCA, Save the Children, and Relate — a guide to the charity shops in Hexham.
Best Wedding Venues Near Hexham
A 14th-century castle, a Victorian townhouse hotel, a medieval abbey, and a restored railway station.
A Rainy Day in Hexham
The Abbey, the Old Gaol, Queen's Hall cinema, soft play, bowling, and the best cafes — what to do when it rains.
Weekend in Hexham — 48-Hour Itinerary
Hexham Abbey, Allen Banks, Hadrian's Wall, and dinner at a Top 50 gastropub — how to make the most of 48 hours.
Best Streets to Live on in Hexham
From Georgian townhouses on Beaumont Street to premium detached homes on Allendale Road — where the locals choose to live.
Churches in Hexham
From a 7th-century abbey to a Gothic Revival Catholic church — a guide to the places of worship in Hexham.
Best Hotels & B&Bs in Hexham
From a Victorian townhouse hotel to a 14th-century castle — where to stay in and around Hexham.
Free Things to Do in Hexham
Hexham Abbey, Sele Park, Tyne Green, the heritage trail, and Allen Banks — a full day out in Hexham without spending a penny on entry fees.
Dog-Friendly Hexham
Dog-friendly pubs, riverside walks, welcoming cafes, and a vet in the town centre — your guide to exploring Hexham with your dog.
Moving to Hexham: The Complete Guide
House prices, schools, transport links, healthcare, and community life — everything you need to know about moving to this award-winning Northumberland market town.